14 Established 1961 Sports Monday, October 5, 2020

Photo of the day Eagle lifts England’s Reid to LPGA lead in New Jersey NEW YORK: Mel Reid fired an eagle and three birdies in a five-under par 66 on Saturday to seize a one-shot lead going into the final round of the LPGA ShopRite Classic. England’s Reid, who was one off the pace head- ing into the round, had 15-under par total at the Seaview resort in Galloway New Jersey, and was one in front of Americans Jennifer Song and Jennifer Kupcho, who both shot 65. It’s the second straight event that Reid, a six-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, has held the 54-hole lead in search of a first LPGA Tour title. She was two-up through three rounds in Portland but finished tied for fifth in a tournament won by com- patriot Georgia Hall in a playoff. “Another great opportunity this week to get it done,” Reid said. “Tomorrow I’m going to take my time a little bit more, and hopefully it will make a bit of a difference.” Reid put herself in position again with a quick start at Seaview, where she birdied the first and third. She was on the green in two at the par-five ninth and two-putted for birdie and a birdie at the 10th put her alone atop the leaderboard. “I knew it was always in me to do this,” Reid said. “I wasn’t sure how to get there. It has just taken me a lot more years than I expected it to.” Kupcho and Song both birdied the par-five 18th to close the gap. Kupcho’s four-foot birdie attempt wobbled a bit but dropped in the right side as she capped a bogey-free round. The 23-year-old had drained a daz- zling birdie putt at the 13th, her effort from the tier above the pin breaking wide and curling back toward the hole, finally dropping in the back side of the cup. “It was just Sean Garnier is seen in front of the Kuwait Towers in Kuwait. —Photo taken from www.redbullcontentpool.com curling and it just back-doored in,” Kupcho said. Song also played without a bogey, grabbing three birdies on each side for her share of second. —AFP Kitata sprints to London Marathon win as Kipchoge suffers rare defeat Favorite Kipchoge fades to eighth after suffering cramp

LONDON: Ethiopian Shura Kitata outsprinted running as the field began to realize that, perhaps, marathons - the blip being a second place behind a Kenya’s Vincent Kipchumba to win a thrilling Kipchoge was struggling. They were right. The then-world record in his second outing over the London Marathon yesterday as a stunned world favorite, whose face never usually gives any indica- distance in Berlin in 2013. “I’m really disappointed, I record holder Eliud Kipchoge faded late in the race tion of suffering, was showing the occasional gri- had a problem with my right ear after it blocked, to suffer his first defeat since 2013. In cold, wet con- mace and he lacked his usual smoothness. At one and then I really cramped and had problems with ditions, 24-year-old Kitata edged clear in the final point the leaders clocked a five minute mile, a virtu- my hip from about the last 15 km,” he said. “It’s real- metres to win by one second over Kipchumba in a al jog at elite level. Then, as never previously seen ly cold but I don’t blame the conditions and I’m still relatively slow two hours, 05.41 minutes. during his all-conquering career, Kipchoge, 35, there to come back again.” Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia was third in 2:5.35, with broke, dropping back from a pack of six with just Earlier, Kenyan world record holder Brigid Kipchoge, the hot favorite, who in his last race a over three miles to go. Kosgei was a comfortable winner of the women’s year ago became the only man to break the two As the pace eventually picked up it was down to race in 2:18.58 as American Sara Hall produced a hour mark for the distance, eighth in 2:06.49 having three, shoulder to shoulder, as they entered The great finish to snatch second from Ruth suffered cramp and a blocked ear. In the absence of Mall in a finish more like an 800m race than a Chepngetich. The races, originally postponed from injured Kenenisa Bekele, Kipchoge was widely marathon. The tall Kipchumba looked as if he would April because of the COVID-19 pandemic, were run expected to lift a fifth London crown but was never do it as he edged ahead, but Kitata fought back over almost 20 laps of a fenced-off course in a able to impose his usual speed in the relentless cold magnificently to take the tape. Kitata, who finished “controlled secure biosphere” around St James’s rain. He was in a pack who went through halfway in second in London in 2018, thanked his missing com- Park. Although there was no mass field this year, just under 63 minutes - very pedestrian in relation patriot for his victory. “Kenenisa Bekele was helping around 40,000 people are running the distance at to his recent races, not least his official world record me for this race and he advised me how to run,” he venues of their choice through the day. They will LONDON: Winner, Ethiopia’s Shura Kitata poses with of 2:01.39 set in Berlin two years ago. said. “I trained for the same course, I am very happy receive official finisher’s medals and raise millions of his trophy in front of Buckingham Palace after the Ethiopians Lemma and Tamirat Tola, both sport- to win.” pounds for charities hard hit by the cancellation of elite men’s race of the 2020 London Marathon in cen- ing woollen hats to stave off the cold, took up the Kipchoge had won 12 of his 13 previous the April race. —Reuters tral London yesterday. —AFP

rain throughout the week in Paris has turned the ground Enable bids for Arc at Longchamp into a real challenge for her. Dettori described the going as “heavy” after riding there on Saturday with fellow jockey Christophe Soumillon going Patriots-Chiefs NFL history, O’Brien further and saying it was the “most gruelling” he had ever game postponed experienced at the track. withdraws runners ‘A very calm horse’ PARIS: Enable bids to become the first horse to win the Enable’s trainer John Gosden mused it was “Nature’s after COVID tests Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe three times on Sunday, boosted way of getting back at us (humans)” after years of neglect- ing it. The 69-year-old Englishman, who along with Dettori NEW YORK: Yesterday’s scheduled NFL game by the shock withdrawal of Aidan O’Brien’s four runners. Frankie Dettori and Enable will now face just 10 rivals with is bidding for their fourth win in six editions of the Arc, between the New England Patriots and Kansas City fears the race is going to turn into a grim test of endurance. Chiefs was postponed by the league on Saturday the rain-affected ground at Longchamp racecourse the main obstacle to her making history. O’Brien withdrew his “She (Enable) doesn’t much like that ground. She prefers after positive COVID-19 tests by Patriots quarterback the easy side of good, so she can show her class, but it is PARIS: Italian jockey Frankie Dettori riding horse Cam Newton and Chiefs reserve Jordan Ta’amu. The quartet - which included the fancied Mogul and Epsom ‘Enable’ - reacts after finishing second during the Derby champion Serpentine - late on Saturday after they going to be a bit of a slog,” said Gosden. “It is drying up NFL postponed the contest to Monday or Tuesday in now and it is tacky, but you might get another shower or 2019 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe flat race at the the wake of the positive tests for the reigning Super tested positive for a banned substance. ParisLongchamp race track in Paris. —AFP It is believed the substance may have been in contami- two. “It is Longchamp, by the River Seine - it is deep.” Bowl champion Chiefs, who closed their facility Enable would not have been running but for seeing her according to the NFL Network, and Patriots, who nated horse feed. Leading English trainer Roger Varian hopes of a third successive Arc triumph last year dashed Stradivarius but he dislikes the ‘bottomless ground’ even altered plans to travel to Kansas City for the game. withdrew all seven runners he had racing in England on when runner-up having been collared by Waldgeist in the more than Enable. Winning the Arc has been the dream of “In consultation with infectious disease experts, Saturday due to using the same feed. Various batches of dying strides. “I think Prince Khalid (Abdullah her owner Japanese turfistes for decades but their one runner Deirdre both clubs are working closely with the NFL and the Gain Equine Nutrition feeds have been found to be con- and breeder) was brave in saying we’ll try again,” Gosden has been in poor form this year. Enable’s greatest dangers NFLPA to evaluate multiple close contacts, perform taminated with a prohibited substance. “Unfortunately the told English broadcaster ITV. “We’re here and we’re trying. appear to be the Jean Claude Rouget-trained duo Sotsass additional testing and monitor developments,” the results of the urine samples taken from the horses yester- We care about the filly in every way, she’s a gorgeous filly and Raabihah and Francis-Henri Graffard’s German Derby league said in a statement. “All decisions will be made day have come back positive from the French laboratory,” to be around and she’s been with us for five years. winner In Swoop. Graffard says those who back In Swoop with the health and safety of players, team and game- read a tweet from O’Brien’s Ballydoyle Stables account. “Let’s hope she gets a great run round - and if she wins, should not be unduly alarmed if he is trailing behind the day personnel as our primary consideration.” The “There is a possibility that the contaminant may have left marvellous, if she doesn’t, she couldn’t have done more for other runners early on. “He’s by nature a very calm horse, Chiefs-Patriots clash marks the second game original- their system by the time of racing tomorrow. racing. “She reminds me of the great jumping legends who which can almost give the impression that he’s not engaged ly set for this weekend postponed by COVID-19 posi- “However we have no guarantee of this, and in order to had tremendous popular appeal Denman, Arkle, Desert mentally in his race,” said Graffard. “He only really hit full tive tests. The Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh protect the integrity of racing we have decided to with- Orchids - she’s that kind of feeling.” Gosden is two-handed stride in the final 200 metres of the race (the German Steelers contest was moved to October 25 after first draw all our horses from racing tomorrow (Sunday).” as he runs his legendary three-time Ascot Gold Cup winner Derby) before going on to win.” —AFP being delayed to Monday or Tuesday by the NFL Enable may be unaffected by the feed furor but the heavy before additional positive results were returned. If the Chiefs (3-0) are forced to play Tuesday, ed, when the Heat trailed by as many as 32 points. through the first two games, and James is just the Patrick Mahomes-led squad would be looking at Banged-up Heat Jimmy Butler led the way with 25 points, 13 assists behind at 29 and 11. The dynamic duo has elicited three games in nine days with their next contests set and eight rebounds in playing 45 minutes, and comparisons to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, for October 11 at home against Las Vegas and four Kelly Olynyk was a surprise off the bench with 24 who combined to win three consecutive champi- days later at Buffalo. The first sign of trouble came remain defiant points and nine rebounds. The Heat may need that onships for the Lakers from 2000-02. “To be in the when the Patriots announced a player had tested positive, his identity later confirmed as star run- again and more Sunday as Adebayo and Dragic- conversation with those two guys, myself and AD, is pass threat Newton when he was placed on despite 2-0 deficit two of the team’s top three scorers these playoffs- just very humbling, because I grew up watching COVID-19 reserve, ensuring he would not play this are both listed as doubtful. those guys,” James said. “... It’s very humbling that weekend. Newton replaced Tom Brady as the signal LOS ANGELES: Down 0-2 and expecting to be “We’re never giving up,” said Butler. “We’re we can be even mentioned with those greats.” caller for the Patriots (2-1) this season after Brady without two key starters, the Miami Heat remain going to fight, and we’re going to ride with this Prior to the Finals, the Heat hadn’t lost two spent 20 years with New England, winning six defiant as they look to Game 3 of the NBA Finals thing ‘til the wheels fall off. It’s not over. We’re just consecutive games all postseason. Miami entered Super Bowl titles. against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night in down 0-2; we got to do something special.” For the series 12-3 after powering through the “Late last night, we received notice that a Patriots the NBA bubble near Orlando. “We don’t give a s- the Lakers, the key is doing more of the same. Los Eastern Conference. The last time a team came player tested positive for COVID-19,” the Patriots what everybody else thinks,” Heat coach Erik Angeles has been dominant the first two games, back from 0-2 to win the Finals was in 2016, when said in a statement. “The player immediately entered Spoelstra said in the aftermath of the 124-114 outscoring and outrebounding Miami. The James’ Cleveland Cavaliers accomplished the feat self-quarantine. Several additional players, coaches Game 2 loss Friday. “What will it take? Whatever Western Conference champs have been potent against the Golden State Warriors. As such, Los and staff who have been in close contact with the is necessary. Simple as that. If you want something both in the paint and from long range, and they Angeles isn’t ruling out Miami yet. “Until we win player received point of care tests this morning and badly enough, you’ll figure it out. Our group is show little sign of slowing down with LeBron four games, we haven’t accomplished our goal,” all were negative for COVID-19. “We are in close stubborn and persistent, and we just need to fig- consultation with the NFL as well as our team of James and Anthony Davis leading the way. “Those Lakers guard Alex Caruso said. “It’s been over a independent doctors and specialists and will follow ure out how to overcome this opponent.” guys are playing at an extremely high level, and year together, and we’ve talked about the same their guidance regarding our scheduled trip to Kansas Without Bam Adebayo (neck) and Goran hopefully we can get two more wins,” said coach goal from Day 1. We’re still here chasing that City and game against the Chiefs.—AFP Dragic (foot) on Friday, Miami showed grit in Frank Vogel. same goal. Until we get four wins, we’re staying avoiding being blown out the way Game 1 unfold- Davis is averaging 33 points and 11.5 rebounds hungry.” —Reuters